Scb1712

So, when I bought my car last year, I failed to notice that the right taillight wasn't sitting quite straight. Once i got it home, I notices that the outer corner of the light was loose, so i pulled it out to inspect it. Sure enough, the semi-circular tab is broken, but the pieces that broke off are long gone.

I can't be the only one this has happened to, but the only other post i can find on here is from 2015 and the pictures don't load. Has this happened to anyone else and were you able to come up with a reasonable repair that doesn't cost a few hundred $$ like a replacement light would? I was wondering about trying to 3D print a piece similar to what is outlined in red on the good side and gorilla gluing it on top of the broken section but am not sure if it would work. Thoughts? CAD drawings?

Broken passenger side light housing

Wondering if i could use the good side as a template for a 3d printed piece to glue onto the broken side

BillB128

You could use a two part putty epoxy to shape the missing pieces, first getting rough
dimensions with the original placement and shaping and then sanding to a final fit
as the epoxy sets up. You can pick up the epoxy at Home Depot, or Amazon.

Scb1712

Thanks Bill - i wasn’t even aware that putty epoxy was a thing. Armed with a tube of plastic epoxy I now have yet another weekend project.

BHMav8r

One of my tabs broke so I just put some clear silicone there between the plastic lens and metal fender to hold it in place. The other tabs are fine so there is little stress.

I have used a washer and epoxy though for similar repairs. Grind the washer to the shape you want, then epoxy it to what's left of the plastic. Lots of surface area for the epoxy is your friend.

arcadia234

I'm with Bill... I figure it couldn't hurt to give a rebuild a swing. Worst case is that I would have to buy the new light anyway, right? I'd prolly' try using to fill that gap then Dremel it out until it fits. It would be worth the 9.00 investment just to see if I could pull it off.

BHMav8r

Epoxy used with carbon fiber cloth sounds promising.

Scb1712

I like the idea of the carbon fibre cloth but no idea where to get it locally

MrMoose

When you try to glue plastic the toughest part is figuring out what type of plastic it is so you can use the right adhesive. If that's ABS (I think it is) you might have better luck with some ABS cement and a scrap piece of plastic cut to shape. Try some ABS cement on a hidden area, see how well it sticks. If it adheres well then move on to the full repair.

Honestly, though, I might just use some double-sided silicone tape. It's removable and won't leave residue or damage the surfaces, but once set in place it's surprisingly strong. It's often called "nano tape" and I've found it very useful for various car repairs. This type of stuff:

BHMav8r

weberlukas74

You could also try using plastic welding. With a plastic welder or a soldering iron with a special plastic welding tip, you can melt the broken parts of the tab and taillight together. This bonds the plastics, making a sturdy fix that lasts.

Scb1712

The plastic welding is a cool idea and I suspect it would be pretty strong. If I had the piece that was broken off it would be an option too

CarreraAlex

you can buy a broken tail light on ebay and just swap the rear housing that includes that part as well - more expensive option but won’t fail